Inclusive growth in Indianapolis: a framework for equitable economic growth

Abstract

Since 2017, the Indy Chamber has worked with Brookings Institute and other partners to assess Indianapolis’ progress on achieving inclusive economic growth. They found that while the area’s job growth exceeded national trends in recent years, the city was falling short in wage growth and providing high-quality jobs and services. Given this context, this brief introduces a new data-driven framework for measuring inclusive growth and applies it to Indianapolis to track the city’s progress on these goals. It identifies significant challenges facing communities of color in the city and outlines key recommendations for policy makers to consider as they work to foster economic inclusion.